Why Did Peter Krause's 'Bobby Nash' Die on '9-1-1'?

Actor Peter Krause's on-screen death as 9-1-1's Bobby Nash took many fans by surprise.

The episode's ending left many fans with a big question.

Nash, a fire captain, suffered a noble death, sacrificing himself by giving a vaccine to a friend. Why is Krause leaving 9-1-1, though? Was it his choice to exit the ABC drama?

According to Variety, no. The decision was made by the showrunner.

Variety dubbed the on-screen death "shocking," pointing out that the show had killed off its leading character, which is something television series rarely do. The death of Krause's character wasn't a complete surprise, though, because photos of the crew shooting a funeral scene previously went viral, according to Variety.

In a statement to Deadline, Krause made it clear the decision to kill off his character was a "bold creative choice."

The cast of '9-1-1.'

Christopher Willard/Getty Images

And 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear made it clear to Variety that it was his idea.

"It was entirely creative. A very difficult creative decision, because there’s practically no one I love on this Earth more than Peter," Minear told Variety when asked whether it was Krause's choice to leave.

“I had to convince everybody about this,” Minear told Variety. “The network was not like, ‘Yeah, get rid of him, it’ll save us money.’ It was nothing like that. I had to pitch this at the highest levels and just walk through the whole story and try to infect them — funny choice of words, given the storyline — because, as I pitched it, you could understand, as a writer, how suddenly the whole world felt more alive. It felt more real because this thing had happened.”

“I’ve heard that many fans are upset by this loss and they have a right to be. It is a loss,” Krause said in a statement on April 17, according to Deadline. 

“That said, it was more than a bold creative choice on a bold show. Bobby Nash was written in sacrifice and he was built for this. First responders risk their lives on the job so that others can see another day. His story arc honors them," he added. 

"We at 9-1-1 salute all the incredible men and women who do these dangerous jobs and strive to keep us safe. Our show is incredibly difficult to make at times with long hours, challenging stunts and elaborate disasters. We couldn’t do it without each other.”